Chapter 23 Bitter Regret

• Darius
• I watched her storm away, her shoulders tense, each step quickening with each passing second as if she couldn't get away fast enough. Every instinct in me screamed to run after her, to apologise, to undo the hurt I’d caused. My wolf clawed at me, restless and desperate, but I stayed rooted in place, every muscle tight with restraint. Going after her now would only make things worse. She deserved space. And after what I’d just said to her, I didn’t deserve her forgiveness—not yet.
• When I finally sank back into the garden chair, the romantic setup I'd spent hours preparing mocked me under the dim light. Candles flickered uselessly beside the cold, untouched plates of food. I reached for the bottle of wine, pouring a glass, and took a long, bitter sip, swallowing down the ache in my throat. The alcohol burned, but it was a dull relief compared to the guilt tearing at me.